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RESEARCH PRODUCT
Magneto-optical characterization of single crystalline Co2FeAl0.4Si0.6thin films on MgO(1 0 0) substrates with Cr and MgO seed layers
Frederick CasperA. Ruiz-calaforraA. ConcaB. LevenClaudia FelserTanja GrafBurkard Hillebrandssubject
Materials scienceKerr effectAcoustics and UltrasonicsCondensed matter physicsMagnetic domainMagnetometerCoercivityCondensed Matter PhysicsEpitaxySurfaces Coatings and FilmsElectronic Optical and Magnetic Materialslaw.inventionMagnetic anisotropyCrystallographylawThin filmAnisotropydescription
We report on the experimental investigation of the influence of a seed layer on the magnetic properties of the full-Heusler alloy Co2FeAl0.4Si0.6 (CFAS). The studied magnetic films are grown epitaxially on MgO (1 0 0) substrates with Cr and/or MgO seed layers. By employing magneto-optical Kerr effect magnetometry we show that magnetic anisotropy can be tuned by choosing the proper seed layer. The results on CFAS show an overall uniaxial anisotropy plus a biaxial contribution which depends on the seed layer. In addition, if grown on MgO, a sharp increase in the coercive field HC at a series of angles symmetric with respect to the easy axis is present. Scanning Kerr-microscope imaging is performed during the magnetization reversal process in order to reveal the type of magnetic domain formation taking place at these angles.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-10-28 | Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics |